Christopher Nolan to Mentor New Superman Movie?
Source: Deadline Hollywood
February 9, 2010
In possibly one of the biggest superhero movie shockers since the last one--when was the Spider-Man reboot, three weeks ago?--Deadline Hollywood is now reporting that The Dark Knight and Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan has been assigned the potentially thankless task of being the latest filmmaker assigned by Warner Bros. to try to save the "Superman" franchise, in this case in a mentoring capacity to figure out the best way to proceed.
Director Bryan Singer helmed the last installment Superman Returns three and a half years ago, which grossed $391 million worldwide, but wasn't seen as a hit due to its reported $270 million production budget. (Remember that the studio doesn't get 100% of those theatrical grosses.)
Since then, various names have been mentioned as possible candidates to get Superman back to the screen, most vocally comic book creator Mark Millar (Wanted, Kick-Ass), but nothing had been confirmed or definite.
This latest news seems to come out of two recent developments, the restructuring of Warner's relationship with DC Comics into a new company called DC Entertainment, headed by Diane Nelson, and the looming deadline of the estates of Superman creators Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster gaining back the entire copyright for the character in 2013. During a court hearing about the rights to Superman, Warners chairman Alan Horn said that he hoped to make another film for 2012 at the earliest but that no script was currently in development.
Some may remember that before Bryan Singer came on board, various versions of the Man of Steel were floundering in development, including one version starring Nicolas Cage to be directed by Tim Burton based on a screenplay by Kevin Smith. Even J.J. Abrams took a crack at writing a Superman screenplay with both Brett Ratner and McG attached to direct his version at one point.
It's unclear how far Nolan's role as a mentor might stretch and whether he'll just be offering some suggestions on the direction, or will be actively involved in picking the director, writers and casting for the reboot, as it's still very early in what is already being labeled "Superman 3.0."
You can read a lot more about what led to Warner Bros.' decision over at Deadline Hollywood, and we'll keep you posted as things develop.
Knowing how many fans of The Dark Knight there are on SuperHeroHype, need we even ask what you think about Nolan being actively involved in another movie about a DC Comics character?
There still might be hope for Supes and maybe done right this time.
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Last edited by Squirrel Fart on Feb 9th, 2010 at 05:23 PM
I don't think Superman should be "realistic", at least not in the sense that Batman has been made "realistic" in the DK series (which is very, very good).
Superman should be halfway between man and god, like a modern Hercules. I think an interesting concept would be a Superman story that's effectively an adaptation of the Labors of Hercules where some villain (Lex Luthor or possibly even Darkseid) puts him through a gauntlet of some sort that tests his strength, intelligence, and spirit.
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“Where the longleaf pines are whispering
to him who loved them so.
Where the faint murmurs now dwindling
echo o’er tide and shore."
-A Grave Epitaph in Santa Rosa County, Florida; I wish I could remember the man's name.
honestly, though, i'd love to see someone like Morrison write a Superman movie. Though there probably woulnd't be a lot in the way of physical combat, i doubt i'd care.
It wouldn't be about punching and it would probably involve his extended golden-Superman meta-story that appears time and time again throughout his writing and lots of mind-screw toward the end. I'd watch the shit out of that movie.
__________________
“Where the longleaf pines are whispering
to him who loved them so.
Where the faint murmurs now dwindling
echo o’er tide and shore."
-A Grave Epitaph in Santa Rosa County, Florida; I wish I could remember the man's name.
a realistic movie about an alien disguised as a mild-mannered reporter? what's not realistic about that?
people need to stop asking for a "realistic" superman movie. i agree with Pr.. that would be a bad idea. what would be good for a superman movie is a relevant screenplay, good directing and even better acting. on that note, a lois re-cast please..
Pretty much an across the board recast. While we're on the subject of casting there needs to be hotter women in the next Nolan Bat-film. Maggie Gyllenhaal is about as attractive as a scarecrow with lipstick.
__________________
“Where the longleaf pines are whispering
to him who loved them so.
Where the faint murmurs now dwindling
echo o’er tide and shore."
-A Grave Epitaph in Santa Rosa County, Florida; I wish I could remember the man's name.
Nolan did a good job with Begins/Dark Knight (yes, good, not the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life). But an "ultimatized, hyper realistic" tone for Superman? He's an alien with powers beyond those of mortal men. Even the world of Batman shouldn't have been so damn "realistic" in cinema.
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Feb 9th, 2010 05:20 PM
